Treadmill having vibration damping function for its handlebars

ABSTRACT

A treadmill includes a tread board, two uprights mounted on two opposite sides of the tread board, two handlebars each pivotally mounted on a respective one of the uprights, and two vibration damping devices each mounted between a respective one of the uprights and a respective one of the handlebars to provide a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar. Thus, each of the vibration damping devices provides a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar to prevent vibration from being transmitted to the user&#39;s two hands directly so as to protect the user&#39;s two hands during the exercising process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a treadmill and, more particularly, toa treadmill having a vibration damping function for its handlebars.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional treadmill comprises a tread board, two uprights mountedon two opposite sides of the tread board, and two handlebars eachsecured on a respective one of the uprights. Thus, a user's two handscan hold the handlebars during the exercising process to prevent theuser from being falling down. However, the user's two hands have topartially support the user's weight during movement of the user's bodyand are subjected to vibration transmitted by the handlebars during theexercising process, so that the user's two hands are easily hurt duringa long-term utilization. In addition, the handlebars are secured on theuprights, so that the handlebars cannot be moved to correspond to upwardand downward movement of the user's two hands, thereby easily providingan uncomfortable sensation to the user.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a treadmill,comprising a tread board, two uprights mounted on two opposite sides ofthe tread board, two handlebars each pivotally mounted on a respectiveone of the uprights, and two vibration damping devices each mountedbetween a respective one of the uprights and a respective one of thehandlebars to provide a vibration damping effect to the respectivehandlebar.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a treadmillhaving a vibration damping function for its handlebars.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a treadmill,wherein when a user's two hands apply a force on the handlebars, each ofthe handlebars is pivoted relative to the respective upright, so thatthe handlebars are movable upward and downward to correspond to upwardand downward movement of the user's two hands, thereby providing acomfortable sensation to the user.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a treadmill,wherein each of the vibration damping devices provides a vibrationdamping effect to the respective handlebar to prevent the vibration frombeing transmitted to the user's two hands directly so as to protect theuser's two hands during the exercising process.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially side plan view of the treadmill as shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the treadmill as shown in FIG.2 in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a treadmill inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a tread board 11, two uprights 12 mounted on two oppositesides of the tread board 11, two handlebars 13 each pivotally mounted ona respective one of the uprights 12, and two vibration damping devices14 each mounted between a respective one of the uprights 12 and arespective one of the handlebars 13 to provide a vibration dampingeffect to the respective handlebar 13.

Each of the handlebars 13 has a front side pivotally mounted on an upperend of the respective upright 12. The front side of each of thehandlebars 13 is provided with a downward extending pivot ear 131pivotally mounted on the upper end of the respective upright 12 by apivot shaft 121. Each of the vibration damping devices 14 is mountedbetween a mediate portion of the respective upright 12 and a mediateportion of the respective handlebar 13. The mediate portion of each ofthe uprights 12 is provided with a forward extending protruding ear 122,the mediate portion of each of the handlebars 13 is provided with adownward extending protruding ear 132, and each of the vibration dampingdevices 14 is mounted between the protruding ear 122 of the respectiveupright 12 and the protruding ear 132 of the respective handlebar 13.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of thevibration damping devices 14 includes a hydraulic cylinder 142retractably mounted between the mediate portion of the respectiveupright 12 and the mediate portion of the respective handlebar 13, andan elastic member 141 mounted on the hydraulic cylinder 142.

Alternatively, each of the vibration damping devices 14 includes anelastomeric member mounted between the mediate portion of the respectiveupright 12 and the mediate portion of the respective handlebar 13.Preferably, the elastomeric member is made of rubber or plasticmaterial.

In operation, referring to FIG. 3 with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, whena user's two hands apply a force on the handlebars 13, each of thehandlebars 13 is pivoted relative to the respective upright 12, so thatthe handlebars 13 are movable upward and downward to correspond toupward and downward movement of the user's two hands, thereby providinga comfortable sensation to the user. At this time, each of the vibrationdamping devices 14 provides a vibration damping effect to the respectivehandlebar 13 to prevent the vibration from being transmitted to theuser's two hands directly so as to protect the user's two hands duringthe exercising process.

Accordingly, when a user's two hands apply a force on the handlebars 13,each of the handlebars 13 is pivoted relative to the respective upright12, so that the handlebars 13 are movable upward and downward tocorrespond to upward and downward movement of the user's two hands,thereby providing a comfortable sensation to the user. In addition, eachof the vibration damping devices 14 provides a vibration damping effectto the respective handlebar 13 to prevent the vibration from beingtransmitted to the user's two hands directly so as to protect the user'stwo hands during the exercising process.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A treadmill, comprising: a tread board; two uprights mounted on twoopposite sides of the tread board; two handlebars each pivotally mountedon a respective one of the uprights; two vibration damping devices eachmounted between a respective one of the uprights and a respective one ofthe handlebars to provide a vibration damping effect to the respectivehandlebar.
 2. The treadmill in accordance with claim 1, wherein each ofthe handlebars has a front side pivotally mounted on an upper end of therespective upright.
 3. The treadmill in accordance with claim 2, whereinthe front side of each of the handlebars is provided with a downwardextending pivot ear pivotally mounted on the upper end of the respectiveupright by a pivot shaft.
 4. The treadmill in accordance with claim 1,wherein each of the vibration damping devices is mounted between amediate portion of the respective upright and a mediate portion of therespective handlebar.
 5. The treadmill in accordance with claim 4,wherein the mediate portion of each of the uprights is provided with aforward extending protruding ear, the mediate portion of each of thehandlebars is provided with a downward extending protruding ear, andeach of the vibration damping devices is mounted between the protrudingear of the respective upright and the protruding ear of the respectivehandlebar.
 6. The treadmill in accordance with claim 4, wherein each ofthe vibration damping devices includes a hydraulic cylinder retractablymounted between the mediate portion of the respective upright and themediate portion of the respective handlebar.
 7. The treadmill inaccordance with claim 6, wherein each of the vibration damping devicesfurther includes an elastic member mounted on the hydraulic cylinder. 8.The treadmill in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of the vibrationdamping devices includes an elastomeric member mounted between themediate portion of the respective upright and the mediate portion of therespective handlebar.
 9. The treadmill in accordance with claim 8,wherein the elastomeric member is made of rubber material.
 10. Thetreadmill in accordance with claim 8, wherein the elastomeric member ismade of plastic material.
 11. The treadmill in accordance with claim 8,wherein when a user's two hands apply a force on the handlebars, each ofthe handlebars is pivoted relative to the respective upright, so thatthe handlebars are movable upward and downward to correspond to upwardand downward movement of the user's two hands.
 12. The treadmill inaccordance with claim 11, wherein each of the vibration damping devicesprovides a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar toprevent vibration from being transmitted to the user's two handsdirectly so as to protect the user's two hands.